5 days, 15 minutes, and 15 seconds!

April 27, 2014
5 days, 15 minutes and 15 seconds!

According to the Indy 500 Mini-Marathon website, the race will begin in exactly 5 days, 15 minutes and 15 seconds from now.  I am trying not to be scared, but at this point in time, I am totally terrified.  I wish, wish, wish I had run 13.1 miles before this point so I would know what I will be facing.  I have only run 10 miles before and that run was disastrous (major cramping).  Other than that, I have only run 9.3 miles. My coach tells me that it's not how many miles you do during one run, it's how many you put in during a week.  Last week, I ran 18 miles all together.  Hopefully, I am prepared.  Hopefully, my heart will behave.  Hopefully, my lower organs will stay where they are supposed to be!

I really don't know why I should be scared.  My original goal for the triathlon off-season was to learn how to run and to be confident about running three miles.  Three miles seem like a cake-walk now.  So I have already reached my off-season goal.  I think it's just that I have never worked to hard to prepare for anything before - and when I'm out there on the course, I will be all alone.  No one will be there to encourage me.  No one will tell me that the pain is ok, just run through it.  I don't want to tell anyone how scared I am.  I'm afraid if I do, my fear will take on a life of its own.  I have to conquer this fear.  I have to remember that I prepared the best that I could and that whatever happens now is ok.

I think the thing I am the most nervous about is the stupid bus that picks up all the people who can't maintain an 18:00 pace.  I ran a 15:10 pace in the 15k.  I should be ok.  But just the idea of that bus behind me is driving me crazy.  Oh, so worried.

At any rate, here are all things I'm thinking about:

Race start:  The Indy 500 Mini-Marathon is the largest half marathon in the country.  55,000 people will run!!!  The race will be starting in five waves.  Each of the five waves will start on a separate gun and will consists of about 6,500 runners (4-6 corals). I am in the first coral (W) in the last wave.  The first wave starts at 7:48.  My wave starts at 8:45 - an hour later!  My hotel is at the start of the race.  I plan to be there at 7:40 and bring a chair to sit in until my wave to save my legs!

Start at front of my coral: I am in a coral with people running 16:00 and my 15K race time was 15:10, I suspect that I will be faster than a lot of the people around me.  So, I'm planning to be right at the front of my coral.  Based on the information provided by the event organizers, there should be 7 minutes between the back of the wave in front of me and my wave.

Pick-up bus:  The pick-up bus leaves after the last person crosses the start line and travels at an 18:00 pace.  There will only be 1,000 people behind me (and 34,000 in front of me), and they anticipate that 900 - 1,000 people will cross the start line each minute.  That means the last person - and the pick-up bus - will be one minute behind me.  I'm telling myself to just race my race - and not worry about the bus.  If for some reason, I can't maintain an 18:00 pace and they ask me to board the bus, I am going to refuse, take off my bib, and just run the rest of the way on the sidewalk as a non-race participant.

Nutrition and Hydration - Pre Race

3 hours prior to the race:  16 oz water  /  1/2 bagel  /  1T peanut butter  /  1/2 banana

1 hour prior to race:  8 oz water, sipped slowly

30 minutes prior to race:  Power Bar Energy Blasts

Nutrition & Hydration - During Race

2 oz water - every 6 minutes   

Power Bar Gel every 45 minutes (every 3 miles)

Shoes:   I purchased two new pairs of shoes a month ago and had hoped to run in one of them during the mini.  However, I decided to wear my old shoes since my metatarsals had problems in the Adidas Glide Boost and I haven't run a long distance in my Brooke Glycerins (which I suspect will be fine).   Since I ran in the 9.1 mile race in my old shoes a few weeks ago with no problems, I think they are my best bet.

Mental Preparation:  I drove the course last week.  Here are my thoughts:

Mile	Description	Impression
0-6	To the Speedway	Interesting / Fine
6-8.5	On the Indy 500 Track	Boring (according to my son)  /  Fine
8.5 - 9.5	Lots of turns	Hard, but doable. I have run 9 miles on many occasions!
9.5 - 11.5	All straight on 16th Street No turns	I anticipate these two miles will be hard, long and challenging.  One step at a time, one block at a time.  When I finish these two miles, I will be on the home stretch.
11.5 - 12	Slight downhill / along river	Hard, but ok (getting close!)
12-13	Victory mile An uphill right before the finish!	Hard, but joyous!

Mile	Description	Impression
0-6	To the Speedway	Interesting / Fine
6-8.5	On the Indy 500 Track	Boring (according to my son)  /  Fine
8.5 - 9.5	Lots of turns	Hard, but doable. I have run 9 miles on many occasions!
9.5 - 11.5	All straight on 16th Street No turns	I anticipate these two miles will be hard, long and challenging.  One step at a time, one block at a time.  When I finish these two miles, I will be on the home stretch.
11.5 - 12	Slight downhill / along river	Hard, but ok (getting close!)
12-13	Victory mile An uphill right before the finish!	Hard, but joyous!